On This Day
Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.
August 7
Events on This Day
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1934
79 years agoThe U.S. Court of Appeals settles the controversy over James Joyce's Ulysses, ruling that the book can be neither confiscated nor banned.
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1974
39 years agoPhilippe Petit makes an illegal tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, crossing the 1,368-foot-high span eight times in 45 minutes.
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1990
23 years agoGeorge H.W. Bush orders the military buildup that will become known as Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraqi forces advancing into Kuwait.
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2007
6 years agoBarry Bonds hits his 756th home run, breaking Hank Aaron's record and becoming baseball's career home-run leader.
August 7
Born on This Day
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Charlize Theron
- In these groups:
- Best Actress Oscar Winners
- Oscar-Winning Portrayals
- Real Life Leading Ladies
Charlize Theron
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress, Television Actress / 1975 -
Charlize Theron is a South African-born actress, best known for her roles in such films as North Country and Monster, for which she won an Academy Award.
Born: August 7, 1975
Age: 37 years old
Birthplace: Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa
Occupation: Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress, ... -
Jimmy Wales
- In these groups:
- Modern Titans of Tech
- Famous Leos
- Famous People Named Jimmy
Jimmy Wales
Entrepreneur / 1966 -
American entrepreneur Jimmy Wales co-founded Wikipedia, a free Internet-based encyclopedia operating under an open-source management style.
1966 | 46 years old
Entrepreneur -
Mata Hari
- In these groups:
- Famous People Involved in Sex Scandals
- Name Changers
- Famous Leos
Mata Hari
Dancer, Spy / 1876 - 1917
Mata Hari was a professional dancer and mistress who became a spy for France during World War I. Suspected of being a double agent, she was executed in 1917.
1876 | 41 years old
Dancer, Spy -
David Duchovny
- In these groups:
- Celebrities With Advanced Degrees
- Famous Leos
- Famous Animal Rights Activists
David Duchovny
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actor, Television Actor / 1960 -
Actor David Duchovny has played FBI agent Fox Mulder on the television series The X-Files and Hank Moody in HBO’s Californication. He married Téa Leoni in 1997.
Born: August 7, 1960
Age: 52 years old
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Occupation: Animal Rights Activist, Film Actor, ... -
Garrison Keillor
- In these groups:
- Famous Leos
- Famous People Born in 1942
- Famous People Born in Minnesota
Garrison Keillor
Radio Personality, Writer / 1942 -
Humor writer and radio personality Garrison Keillor hosts the program A Prairie Home Companion and tells stories about the fictional town Lake Wobegon.1942 | 70 years old
Radio Personality, Writer -
Ralph Bunche
- In these groups:
- Nobel Peace Prize Winners
- Famous Leos
- Famous People Named Ralph
Ralph Bunche
Diplomat / 1904 - 1971
Ralph Bunche was a U.S. diplomat, a key member of the United Nations for more than two decades, and the winner of the 1950 Nobel Prize for Peace.
1904 | 67 years old
Diplomat
August 7
Died on This Day
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Peter Jennings
- In these groups:
- Famous Leos
- Famous News Anchors
- Famous People Named Peter
Peter Jennings
News Anchor, Journalist / 1938 - 2005
A respected television journalist, Peter Jennings served as ABC's nightly news anchor from 1983 to 2005.
Died: August 7, 2005
Age: 67 years old
Place: New York, New York , United States
Occupation: News Anchor, Journalist -
Virginia Apgar
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Geminis
- Famous Scholars
Virginia Apgar
Scholar, Doctor / 1909 - 1974
Virginia Apgar was a physician and medical researcher who developed the Apgar Scoring System, which measures newborn well-being.1974 | 65 years old
Scholar, Doctor -
Ira Aldridge
- In these groups:
- African-American Firsts: Film & TV
- Famous Leos
- Famous Actors
Ira Aldridge
Theater Actor / 1807 - 1867
Ira Aldridge was a 19th century African-American actor who became a renowned interpreter of Shakespearean tragedy on the European stage.
1867 | 60 years old
Theater Actor
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Play Nowprofile name: Charlize Theron profile occupation: Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress, ...
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profile name: Jimmy Wales profile occupation: Entrepreneur
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profile name: Mata Hari profile occupation: Dancer, Spy
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profile name: David Duchovny profile occupation: Animal Rights Activist, Film Actor, ...
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profile name: Garrison Keillor profile occupation: Radio Personality, Writer
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profile name: Ralph Bunche profile occupation: Diplomat
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profile name: Peter Jennings profile occupation: News Anchor, Journalist
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profile name: Virginia Apgar profile occupation: Scholar, Doctor
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profile name: Ira Aldridge profile occupation: Theater Actor
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profile name: James Joyce profile occupation: Author
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profile name: Philippe Petit profile occupation: Artist
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profile name: George H.W. Bush profile occupation: Diplomat
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profile name: Barry Bonds profile occupation: Baseball Player
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profile name: Hank Aaron profile occupation: Baseball Player
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profile name: George Washington profile occupation: U.S. President
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profile name: Jimmy Carter profile occupation: U.S. President
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profile name: Ozzy Osbourne profile occupation: Singer
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